IRL Advertising Is Helping GLP-1 Brands Go Mainstream

January 15, 2026

In 1961, a New York housewife and mother named Jean Nidetch had a revolutionary idea: there’s got to be a better way to lose weight.

Having been rattled by the cold and clinical nature of medical weight loss programs, Jean founded a support group with six overweight friends. As they discovered the importance of empathy, understanding, and emotional support in the weight loss journey, Jean decided to make a business of the program.

And thus Weight Watchers was born.


Today, the global brand now known as WW promotes more than just weight loss but wellness as well. But with the advent of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, WW can now support the pursuit of better health like never before. So this month the brand returned to its Big Apple birthplace to reintroduce itself with a boldly branded and triumphantly human digital out of home campaign.

GLP-1 drugs represent a profound medical advance, offering solutions to one of the most vexing health challenges we face – staying in shape. Their broad adoption reflects just how many consumers face that challenge.


The numbers are quite frankly staggering – one in eight American adults now take a GLP-1 for weight loss. That’s more than doubled since February 2024. And they’re working – 93% of users have lost weight and 80% report a better quality of life (SOURCE: Gallup).


With the GLP-1 gold rush, everyone seems to be throwing their hat in the ring, from direct-to-consumer channels by drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to digital startups like Ro Body and Fridays – even local medspas.


Legacy brands, online providers, and pharma manufacturers all have one thing in common: the use of IRL advertising such as billboards, wallscapes, and transit media to meet potential new patients where they are, both literally and figuratively.


“We wanted to take something that everyone can relate to, that feeling of hitting the wall with your goals, and turn it into motivation,” STUDIOS Creative Director Shannon Bromley said of the campaign she designed for Fridays. “So we literally transformed walls into moments of support.”


The campaign made a big impact, making those exposed 107% more likely to visit the Fridays website than those not exposed, and 369% more likely to visit the homepage (SOURCE: Reveal Mobile).


With GLP-1 households now representing 35% of CPG food and beverage sales, the grocery landscape is shifting. These households spend about 6% less overall – 9% less for high-income households – with big drops in intent to purchase soft drinks, processed savory snacks, and confectionery sweets alongside strong gains in intent to purchase fruits and vegetables (SOURCE: NielsenIQ).


Now is the time for healthy brands to introduce themselves to consumers. It’s a moment of brand vulnerability where someone is motivated and interested in trying new things. IRL is the perfect way to demonstrate lifestyle fit – after all, when consumers are seeing your ad on the subway, the bus, or a billboard, they’re en route somewhere. They’re in the middle of doing something. The exposure is proof itself of that fit – after all, they’re already there!

IRL is the perfect platform for pharma, wellness, and CPG brands alike to make a statement of support for those taking steps to improve their health.

To connect your brand with this wellness-centric audience, Contact OUTFRONT now!

Author: Jay Fenster, Marketing Manager 

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